Welcome to your early morning news briefing from The Telegraph - a round-up of the top stories we are covering today. To receive twice-daily briefings by email, sign up to our Front Page newsletter for free.
1. British public will be asked to take Ukrainian refugees into their homes
The British public will be asked to offer homes to tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion under plans to be announced this weekend.
Ministers will launch a hotline and webpage enabling individuals, charities, businesses and community groups to offer rooms to refugees with no family links to the UK. Read the full story.
2. Russian state television goes off message by denouncing Ukraine war
Russian state television has broadcast calls for Vladimir Putin, the country’s president, to stop his war in Ukraine during a programme in which pundits openly likened the invasion to "Afghanistan, but even worse".
Vladimir Soloviyev, usually one of the Kremlin's most reliable chief propagandists, had to interrupt guests on his prime time television talk show to stop their criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Read the full story.
3. Urgency needed on rollout of fourth Covid vaccine as hospitalisations soar, NHS warned
The NHS is being urged to get on with the rollout of fourth Covid jabs for the elderly amid a surge in virus hospitalisations.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) last month recommended extra boosters for those aged 75 and over. Scientists said these should be administered around six months after their last vaccine. Read the full story.
4. Roman Abramovich accused of ‘destabilising Ukraine’ by supplying steel for Russian tanks
Roman Abramovich has been accused of “destabilising Ukraine” by supplying steel which may have been used to build Russian tanks, according to a new government sanctions list.
The owner of Chelsea FC is among seven oligarchs targeted by the Foreign Office on Thursday over their links to Vladimir Putin. Read the full story.
5. The problem with Prince William’s ‘racist’ comments? They’re fake news – he didn’t say them at all
As the biographer of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, he has been a vocal supporter of their campaign against fake news and online mistruths.
So when Omid Scobie criticised the Duke of Cambridge for “ignorant” comments about the war in Ukraine which he suggested “normalised war and death in Africa and Asia”, legions of admirers around the world followed suit with outrage. Read the full story.
If you want to receive twice-daily briefings like this by email, sign up to the Front Page newsletter here. For two-minute audio updates, try The Briefing - on podcasts, smart speakers and WhatsApp.